Stamp.



T. O. MATTHEWS.

STAMP.

APPLICATION FILED MAB.20,1914.

1,104,367. Patented July 21, 1914.

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VT. 0. MATTHEWS.

STAMP. APPLICATION FILED MAR.20,1'914.

1,104,367, Patented July 21, 1914.

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THOMAS O. MATTHEWS, OF PlTT BURGl-i', PENN$YLVANIA, ASSIGNOR TO JAS. H. MATTHEWS & 00., OF PITTSBURGH, PENNSYLVANIA, A COR-PORi-LTION OF PENN- SYLVANIA.

STAMP.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed March 20, 1914.

Patented July 21, 1914.

Serial No. 825,945.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that l, THOMAS O. MATTHEWS, a citizen of the United States, and residing in the city of Pittsb h. in the county of Allegheny and State of Pennsylvania, have invented or discovered new and useful Improvements in Stamps, of which the following is a specification.

My invention consists of certain new and useful improvements in stamps used for marking letters or other characters upon surfaces.

It relates particularly to the form or forms of stamps wherein the letters or charactors are presented on units or inserts which are removably and interchangeably mounted on the holder. In the various forms of such stamps now in use the inserts are snapped and held in place on the holder by means of spring metal clips or flanges, forming a structure ill-fitted for the rough usage in mills and factories to which such stamps are subjected. A slight bend or distortion in one of the resilient engaging elements renders the stamp useless and the efficient life of such a stamp is relatively short. Again, in such stamps the inserts are held snugly in place so that the individual inserts cannot accommodate themselves to the irregularities or unevennesses of the surface to be marked, and such portions of the surface are skipped and unmarked. Again, each insert must be separately mounted on and dismounted from the holder; a tedious and time-consuming operation.

My present invention avoids all of these and many other defects of the prior art.

Generally speaking my invention com prises a holder provided with a retaining flange adapted to engage one end of the inserts, and a type-carrying plate slidably mounted on the holder and upon which the inserts are set in the desired arrangement, said type-carrying plate being provided with a retaining flange which engages the other end of the inserts. The type-carrying plate is then slid toward the retaining flange of the holder so that said flange engages said inserts and the type-carrying plate is then looked stationary. The engagement of the inserts with the retaining flanges prevents their dislodgment from the holder but permits sufficient freedom of movement for their proper action. To give the inserts the necessary resiliency to properly mark uneven or irregular surfaces, I interpose between the type-carrying plate and the inserts a cushion or bed preferably of rubber.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 IS a perspective showing my invention applied to a rocker stamp; Fig. 2 is a similar view showing my invention applied to a flat faced stamp; Fig. 3 is a cross section along the line IIIHI in Fig. 1, showing the inserts locked in place; Fig. 4 is a similar view along the line IV-IV in Fig. 1 but showing the type-carrying plate slid into its open position and the inserts loosened; Fig. 5 is a section taken along the line VV in Fig. 2 but inverted showing the inserts locked into place and the cushion compressed as it is during the making of an impression; Fig. 6 is a section taken along the line VL VI in Fig. 2 showing the type-carrying plate in its open position and the inserts loosened; Figs. 7, 8 and 9 are diagrammatic views showing in full lines the normal position of an insert when idle and in dotted lines the attitude assumed during the making of an impression, Fig. 7 indicating an impression on an even surface while Figs. 8 and 9 indicate the manner in which the insert tilts when pressed upon an uneven or irregular surface, and Fig. 10 is a cross-sectional view showing the method of mounting more than one row of inserts on a holder, one of the type-carrying plates being shown closed and the other open.

The following is a detailed description of the drawings, reference being first had to Figs. 1, 3'and 4.

A is the holder which is here shown as a rocker stamp with a curved impression face which is rocked from one end to the other across the surface to be marked.

1 represents handles or grasps for the convenience of the workmen. One edge of the holder A is provided with an inturned retaining flange 2.

B is the type-carrying plate mounted to slide laterally on the face of holder A toward and away from the flange 2. The

outer lateral edge of plate B is provided with an inturned retaining flange 3 similar to flange 2 and 4: represents a pair of vertical end flanges on the plate B adapted to fit under the flange 2 when the type-carrying plate isin the position shown in Fig. l.

5 represents a pair of threaded studs depending from plate B through transverse slots 6 in the holder A, and 5 represents winged nuts mounted on said studs. It is evident that by loosening the nuts 5 the.

plate B is free to he slid either toward or away from the flange 2 and by tightening the nuts, the plate B may belocked stationary on the holder A.

C is a cushion or bed laid on plate B upon which the'inserts are mounted. The oflice of such cushion is to give a resilient support to the inserts so that they may readily accommodatethemselves to the surface against which they are pressed as shown in Figs. 7, 8 and9. I prefer to form said cushion of soft rubber having its under face provided with honey comb flanges 8. v

' D represents the type-units or inserts, shown as formed of rubber and provided with a horizontally embedded perforated metal plate 9 whose protruding .ends form the end flanges 10 of the inserts.

To mount the inserts on the holder, the nuts 5 are loosened and the plate B slid latv trally to the position shown in Fig. 4. The

proper inserts D to give the desired arrangement of letters or characters are then assembled or set on the cushion C with their flanges 10 at one end inserted under the flange 3. The plate B with its burden is then slid into the position shown in Fig. 3, the other end flanges 10 of the inserts extending under the flanges 2.. The wing nuts 5 are then tightened and the plate B locked in position.

It is evident that the inserts, although securely retained on the. holder by the flanges 2 and 3, are capable of much freedom of movement, as indicated in Figs. 7 8 and 9 to accommodate themselves to the surface to be impressed and impart the yielding and .resilient'impression which is most effective in a rubber stamp.

To remove the lnserts, the nuts 5 are loosv ened and the plate B retreated. into the position shown in Fig. 4 when the inserts may be lifted off andreplaced with others. Blanks may be used to separate the letters or characterswhere needed and to complete the occupancy of the space betweenthe end flanges 4t of the plate B.

I/Vhere more than one line of inserts are desired I may provide a plurality of retain ing flanges 2 on the holder associated with an equal number of sliding type-carrying plates B. Thus in Fig. 10 I show a pair of retaining flanges 2 on theholder placed back to back and a sliding type-carrying plate associated with each of said retaining flanges.

In the case of a flat faced hand stamp, such as shown in Figs. 2, 5 and 6, the inserts D are usually of smaller sizeand I may omit the metal reinforcing plate 9 and form the end flanges 10 of the inserts integral with the body of the type.

To aid in retaining the inserts D on the type-carrying plate B when the holder is open, as shown in Fig. 6, I prefer to provide the type-carrying plate with a front flange I 1 1 along the front edge of said plate but low enough to go under the flange 2 of the holder A when the parts are locked together as shown in Fig. 5.

It is evident from the foregoing that my improved stamp has many important advantages. Among them may be mentioned the following: The various metal parts are nonresilient in their functions and therefore may be made of rigid and substantial material, which does not become weakened or loosened by use. The inserts are held securely in their place but with suflicient play and resiliency to give. the desired yielding impress and at the same time readily accommodate themselves individually to the contour or inequalities of the surface to be marked.

The method of mounting the type-carrying plate is such that the type inserts may be quickly and easily set in proper alinement and looked'in place and as readily unlocked and removed for substitution.

.Although for the sake of illustrating clearly the principles of my invention I have minutely described the embodiment of the same shown in the drawings, I do not wish to limit myself thereby but claim broadly i .1. In a stamp, a holder having an impression face, an inturned detaining flange eX- I tending outwardly from said impression face, a type-carrying plate mounted on said impression face and slidable thereon at right angles to said retaining flange, a second inturned retaining flange extending outwardly from said type carrying plate, type inserts set on said type-carrying plate having their ends inserted under said second retaining flange, the opposite ends of said type inserts being inserted under said first retaining flange when said type-carrying plate is slid toward said first retaining flange, and means engaging said type-carrying plate for lock: mg the latter stationary. o

2. In a stamp, a holder having an impresslon face, an inturned retaining flange eX- tending outwardly from said impression face, a type-carrying plate mounted on said impression face and slidable thereon at right angles to said retaining flange, a second infrom said type carrying plate, a cushion member mounted on said type carrying flange, and means engaging said type carryplate, type inserts set on said cushion merning-plate for locking the latter stationary. ber having their ends inserted under said Signed at Pittsburgh Penna. March, 1914. 10

second retaining flange, the opposite ends THOMAS O. MATTHEWS. of said type inserts being inserted under said Witnesses:

first retaining flange When said type carry- WILLIAM A. SONNETT,

ing plate is slid toward said first retaining J. ROLAND SHAW.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, D. 0.

It is hereby certified that in Letters Patent N 0. 1,104,367, granted J lily 21, 1914,

upon the application of Thomas 0. Matthews, of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, for an improvement in Stamps, an error appears in the printed specification requiring correction as follows: Page 2, line 108, for the Word detaining read retaining;

and that the said Letters Patent should be read With this correction therein that the same may conform to the record of the case in the Patent Office.

Signed and sealed this 1st day of September, A. D., 1914:.

[sEAL] R. F. WHITEHEAD,

Acting Commissioner 0 f Patent/8, 

